[1]The new Conference ‘Africa: 53 Countries, One Union – The New Challenges [2]‘ has taken place in Washington, DC on June 15 and 16, 2011.
This was the second in a series of three conferences; the first one was held in Bologna last year [3], and the last one will be held in Addis Ababa in 2012. The main objective was to offer to senior policy makers and experts the opportunity to discuss the relevance of regional and continental integration in the solution of major African problems, including those generated by recent developments which now challenge our concepts of freedom and democracy.
This year our Foundation for World Wide Cooperation has teamed up with the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies [4] and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars [5] to organize this series of events.
The Conference has focused on the roles of the United Nations, African Union, European Union and the United States and China governments. International organizations such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, World Trade Organization, and Economic Commission for Africa had also been involved.
The Conference opening on June 15 took place at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (the Ronald Reagan Building) and the working sessions on June 16 were held at Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies.
All the participants have had the opportunity to offer their personal contribution and to participate in the discussion on all the issues involved.
Download: the Conference Program [2]
Download the discussion papers: A Challenge – The Arab Spring [6]
Infrastructure [7]
Peace, Security & Democracy [8]
Trade & Economic Development [9]
2nd Conference
Africa: 53 Countries, One Union – the New Challenges
Wednesday, 15 June
Ronald Reagan and International Trade Center, Pavilion Room
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Welcome Ceremony – 4.30 PM
Welcome and Introduction
Andrew Gelfuso, Director of the Office for Trade Promotion, Ronald Reagan Building&International Trade Center
Chair: Jane Harman, President and CEO, Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars
Greetings
Amina Salum Ali, Ambassador of the African Union to the United States
Antonio De Lecea, Minister, Economic and Financial Affairs, Delegation of the European Union to the United States of America
Opening Remarks
Romano Prodi, President, Foundation for World Wide Cooperation
Susana Malcorra, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations
Abdoulie Janneh, Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Africa
Guijin Liu, Ambassador and Special Representative for African Affairs, People’s Republic of China
Keynote Address
Chris Smith, Chairman, Africa Subcommittee in the House of Representatives
H.E. Ngwazi Prof. Bingu wa Mutharika, President of Malawi
Reception – 7.00 PM
Thursday, 16 June
Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
1740 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
9.00 AM – 10.30 AM
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Jessica Einhorn, Dean, SAIS, Johns Hopkins University
New Challenges
Chair: Romano Prodi, President, Foundation for World Wide Cooperation
Co-Chairs: Jessica Einhorn, Dean SAIS, Johns Hopkins University
Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, US State Department
Zachary Muburi-Muita, Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union
Guijin Liu, Ambassador and Special Representative for African Affairs, People’s Republic of China
Obiageli Ezekwesili, Vice President for Africa, World Bank
Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata, Ambassador of Italy to the U.S.
10.30 AM – 11.00 AM
Coffee Break
Discussion Panels:
The panels will have a chair, a co-chair, a presenter on each framework paper, and three discussion leaders who will respond to each presentation. The framework presentations will be no more than 10 minutes each, and the discussants will speak for no more than 6 minutes. The follow up discussion among all the participants will be along the Aspen Institute model.
Session 1: Peace, Security, Democracy
11.00 AM -12.00 PM
Introduction
Chair: Mary Yates, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Africa, National Security Council (Invited)
Co-Chair: Susana Malcorra, Under-Secretary-General, Department of Field Support, UN
Framework on Security:
Victoria K. Holt, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of IO Affairs
Framework on New Challenges:
Ahmed Haggag, Secretary-General of the African Society in Cairo
Discussant 1: Margaret Carey, Director, Africa Division, Department of Peacekeeping, United Nations
Discussant 2: Michael Battle, U.S. Ambassador to the African Union.
12.00 PM – 1.00 PM
Discussion : Open floor to all invited participants
1.00 PM – 2.00 PM
Lunch Break
Session 2: Economic Development: Infrastructure and Trade
2.00 PM – 3.00 PM
Introduction
Chair: Joseph Atta-Mensah, Director, Regional Integration, Infrastructure and Trade Division, UN Economic Commission for Africa
Co-Chair: Abebe Shimeles, Principle Research Economist, Research Department, African Development Bank
Framework on Infrastructural Development:
Peter Lewis, Director African Studies, SAIS, Johns Hopkins
Framework on Trade:
John Sewell, Senior Fellow, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
William Krist, Senior Fellow, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Discussant 1: Ibrahim Dia, Ambassador and Coordinator, AUC-ADB-UNECA Joint Secretariat Office
Discussant 2: Valentine Sendanyoye Rugwabiza, Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization
Discussant 3: Xiaojie Gu, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Ethiopia
3.00 PM – 4.00 PM
Discussion: Open floor to all invited participants
4:00 PM – 4:15 PM
Coffee Break
Round Table and Concluding Remarks
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Moderator: Romano Prodi, President, Foundation for Worldwide Cooperation
Participants: Michael Battle, US Ambassador to the African Union
Guijin Liu, Ambassador and Special Representative for African Affairs, People’s Republic of China
Zachary Muburi-Muita, Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union
Steve McDonald, Director, Africa Program, Woodrow Wilson Center
Peter Lewis, Director, African Studies, SAIS-Johns Hopkins
Jane Harman, President and CEO, Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars
Valentine Sendanyoye Rugwabiza, Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization
5:30 PM
Press Conference
[10]
The audio-visual documentation of the conference and the final acts
will soon be available here on the Foundation website .